EMPLOYMENT SOCIO- DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF THE DUBLIN DOCKLANDS AREA AND JAMES WILLIAMS THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND MUIRIS O CONNOR

Transcription

1 EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIO- DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF THE DUBLIN DOCKLANDS AREA JAMES WILLIAMS AND MUIRIS O CONNOR THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR

2 THE DUBLIN DOCKLANDS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

3

4 THE EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF THE DUBLIN DOCKLANDS AREA JAMES WILLIAMS AND MUIRIS O CONNOR Copies of this paper may be obtained from The Economic and Social Research Institute (Limited Company No ). Registered Office: 4 Burlington Road, Dublin 4.

5 James Williams is a Senior Research Officer and Head of the Survey Unit at The Economic and Social Research Institute and Muiris O Connor was formerly a Surveys Executive at the ESRI. The content and views expressed in the report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Institute.

6 THE EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF THE DUBLIN DOCKLANDS AREA JAMES WILLIAMS AND MUIRIS O CONNOR THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE DUBLIN, 2000 ISBN

7 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors would like to thank all those who assisted in or contributed to this report in any way. We are especially grateful to the firms which participated in the employer survey. The staff of the ESRI s Survey Unit, General Office, Print Room, Desk-top Publishing and Editing sections all made an enormous contribution in bringing the report to its completion. As always, the authors are solely responsible for any errors, omissions or obscurities in the final text. iv

8 CONTENTS Page Acknowledgements Executive Summary iv ix Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION 1 2 EMPLOYMENT STRUCTURE IN THE DOCKLANDS AREA 9 3 KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTIONS OF THE DUBLIN DOCKLANDS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 26 4 SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF DOCKLAND RESIDENTS 33 5 LABOUR MARKET CHARACTERISTICS OF DOCKLAND RESIDENTS 47 6 SOCIAL CLASS AND EDUCATION 64 7 SUMMARY 75 Glossary of Terms 83 Appendix A The Questionnaire 85 V

9 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1.1 Response Outcomes in Employment Survey Number of Electors on the Electoral Register in the Wards Included in the Docklands Area 1990, 1993, Number of Firms in the Docklands Area Classified by Sector, 1999 and Employers in Dublin Docklands Area Classified by Type of Firm, Total Number of Persons Employed in the Docklands Area Classified by Industrial Sector, 1999 and Mean and Median Numbers Engaged in Employing Entities Classified by Sector, 1999 and Number of Residents Engaged in Docklands Area Classified by Sector 1999 and Total Number of Residents Engaged in Docklands Area Classified by Sector 1999 and Percentage of (a) Docklands Residents Engaged in the Study Area and (b) All Persons Engaged in the Study Area Classified by Sector and Employment Status (a) All Persons Engaged and (b) Docklands Residents Engaged Classified According to Occupational Grade and Gender Breakdown of (a) Docklands Residents Engaged and (b) All Persons Engaged According to (i) Gender and (ii) Employment Status, 1999 and Respondents Estimates of Projected Employment in One Year s Time Broken Down by Sector Firms Classified According to (a) Whether or Not They Expect Employment to Increase; Remain Constant; or Decrease Over the Next Five Years and (b) Sector Firms Classified According to (a) Whether or Not They Currently Have a Vacancy or Vacancies and (b) Sector 22 vi

10 Table Page 2.13 Estimated Number of Current Vacancies in the Docklands Development Area Firms Classified According to Whether or Not They (a) Explicitly Seek Job Applicants from Within the Docklands; (b) Explicitly Seek Applicants from Outside the Docklands Area; (c) Are Not Concerned With Where the Applicants Live; (d) Recruitment Is Not Relevant to Them Firms Classified According to Whether or Not They Have Heard of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority Firms Which Have Heard of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority Classified According to Whether or Not They Think that the Authority Does a Good Job Firms Classified According to Whether or Not They Have Heard of the School s Job Placement Programme Firms Classified According to Whether or Not They Have Heard of the Third Level Higher Education Programme Firms Attitudes Towards the Docklands Area as a Location for a Firm Which Was Thinking of Setting Up in Business Reasons Given by Those Who Would Advise that the Docklands Area was (i) A Good Location for Business Location and (ii) Those Who Felt It Was a Bad Location Changes in the Total Population of the Docklands Area 1991 and 1996 Classified According to Age Cohort Changes in Population Classified According to Gender and Age Cohort for 1991 and Distribution of Persons Living Alone in the Docklands Area Classified by Age Cohort, 1991 and Type of Household in Dublin Docklands Area, and Dublin City & County, 1991 and Private Household Composition in the Dublin Docklands Area and in Dublin City & County, 1991 and Population of the Dublin Docklands Area Classified According to Principal Economic Status a Summary of Percentages Classified as Being Unemployed in Dublin and in Docklands Area Participation and Unemployment Rates for Dublin Docklands Area and also Dublin City & County Classified by Gender, 1991 and vii

11 Table Page 5.3 Absolute Percentage Point Difference and Ratios of Male: Female Participation Rates, 1991 and Duration of Unemployment for Persons 15 Years and Over from 1996 Census of Population Relative Importance of Industrial Sections to Overall Employment Structure of Docklands Residents in 1991 and Absolute Importance and Change in the Number of Residents of the Docklands Employed in Various Industrial Sectors 1991 and l Social Class Composition of Persons Resident in the Docklands and in Dublin City & County, 1991 and Social Class Breakdown of all Persons Details on the Highest Level of Educational Attained by Members of the Labour Force Aged 15 Years and Over, 1991 & Distribution of Docklands Residents According to Age at Which Full-Time Education Ceased 71 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 Number of Firms in the Docklands Area Classified by Sector, 1996 and 1999 Compared Total Number of Persons Employed in the Docklands Classified by Industrial Sector, 1996 and 1999 Compared Total Number or Residents Employed in the Docklands Area Classified by Industrial Sector, 1996 and 1999 Compared All Persons Engaged and Docklands Residents Engaged Classified According to Occupational Grade for Percentage Change in the Age Cohort Size Between 1991 and Docklands and Dublin City & County Compared Private Household Composition in the Dublin Docklands, 1991 and 1996 Compared Social Class Composition in Percentage Distribution of the Docklands and Dublin Compared 66 viii

12 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. Background and Objectives This report is a follow-up to one completed in 1996 by The Economic and Social Research Institute on behalf of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority. The principal objectives of the project were to provide a detailed analysis of the employment and socio-demographic structures of the area. The following were identified as being of particular interest: the number of persons currently working in the area; their occupational structure; the number of residents from the Docklands Area who are working in the area; vacancy levels; short-term employment forecasts; employers views and perceptions of the Docklands Area as a business location as well as their knowledge of the Authority itself and their views on the work it does; a detailed profiling of the resident population in terms of their standard socio-demographic characteristics such as age; sex; principal economic status; social class; level of educational attainment etc. Of particular relevance throughout the report is a focus on change in employment and demographic structures which has taken place since the first report in The study contains two separate and discrete components. The first component is based on a personally administered survey of all employers in the area. This involved an interviewer visiting the employer to complete the survey form. The second component is an analysis of material for the Census of Population for the area in question. 2. The Employer Survey A current total of 1,439 firms was identified in the study area in the course of the survey. This represents a growth of 168 businesses (13.2 per cent) over the period A total of just under 32,100 persons are currently engaged in the Docklands Area. This represents a growth of 11,300 persons (54.4 per cent) over the period in question. Just under 2,500 residents of Docklands were identified as currently working in the area. This represents a growth between 1996 and 1999 of 900 residents who are working in the area (56.5 per cent). This means that the growth in the number of residents who are working in the area is running somewhat ahead of the growth in all persons working in the area. ix

13 x THE EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF THE DUBLIN DOCKLANDS AREA There is an over-concentration among those Docklands residents who also work in the area in the routine Non-Manual and Manual grades. There is a particularly strong over-concentration among Docklands residents who work in the area in Unskilled Manual grades. This reflects the general socio-demographic background and profile of the area in question. Employers are bullish in regard to their short-term one year employment projections for the area. Firms expect employment in the current year to grow by approximately 11 per cent. If this is realised it will result in a further increase this year of 3,400 persons working in the area. A total of 28 per cent of firms in the Docklands Area have a current vacancy or vacancies. This translates to a total of 2,250 current vacancies in the region. A total of 86 per cent of firms in the area say that they have heard of the Development Authority. Of those who have heard of it, 64 per cent think that the Authority does a good job, 28 per cent think it does neither a good nor a bad job and 8 per cent think it does a bad job. There are substantially lower knowledge levels among employers regarding the Schools Job Placement Programme and the Higher Level Education Programme. A total of 11 per cent of employers have heard of the former while 15 per cent have heard of the latter. 3. Analysis of Census Material The second component of the project is an analysis of detailed census data for the area. The Census of Population is undertaken every five years. The most recently available census data relate to The report provides an analysis of relevant information from both the 1991 and 1996 Censuses. This analysis provides the reader with: (i) an insight into the changes which have taken place in the profile of residents in the area over the period ; (ii) the first concrete benchmark which can be used to assess change since the establishment of the Docklands Authority in The 1996 population for the Docklands Area stood at 17,425 persons. This represented an increase of 712 persons over the 1991 levels (4.3 per cent). The rate of growth of population in the Docklands Area between the two censuses was higher than that for Dublin City & County as a whole (3.2 per cent). There is evidence to suggest that the age structure of the Docklands Area is changing over time. In general, the growth in population in Docklands seems to be concentrated in the year and year cohorts. This trend is in stark contrast to the situation in Dublin City & County as a whole. In the Greater Dublin area there would appear to be an increase in older cohorts. These cohorts are in decline in the Docklands Area. Based on the 1996 Census data our estimate of the current population resident in Docklands is 18,500 persons.

14 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY xi Labour-force participation rates in 1996 in Docklands stood at 57 per cent. A total of 26 per cent of those in the labour force were unemployed. This compares with an unemployment rate in Dublin City & County of 15 per cent. In terms of Social Class composition, the Docklands Area was characterised from the census data as being relatively disadvantaged with a higher than average percentage of its population being classified as coming from lower social groups than is the case for Dublin City & County as a whole.

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16 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background The Dublin Docklands Development Authority has its origins in the Finance Act of The principal function of the Authority is to provide a planned and co-ordinated approach to the redevelopment and rejuvenation of the Docklands Area, within the context of a broader redevelopment of the city as a whole. As an input to its planning, the Docklands Authority commissioned The Economic and Social Research Institute to carry out a study of the socio-economic and demographic structure of the area in the Autumn of The present report is a follow-up study to that original report. In the current study we assess the degree of change which has taken place in the Docklands Development Area since the first study. The terms of reference for the present study were to provide a detailed analysis of the employment and socio-demographic structures of the area with the following topics being of particular interest: the number of persons currently working in the area; their occupational structure; the number of residents from Docklands who are working in the area; vacancy levels; short-term employment forecasts; employers views and perceptions of the Docklands Area and the Development Authority; a detailed profiling of the resident population in terms of their standard socio-demographic characteristics such as age; sex; principal economic status; social class; level of educational attainment etc. Of particular relevance throughout the study is a focus on changes which have taken place since the first report in 1996 in both employment levels and characteristics as well as in the general profile of residents over the relevant period. 1.2 The Boundary of the Study Area The study area is taken to stretch eastwards along the Liffey from its most westerly point at Beresford Place. To the North, the area is bounded by Amiens Street, the North Strand as far as East Wall Road and thereafter by a line running eastwards to incorporate all of the North Dock B electoral ward. To the southside of the Liffey, the area stretches from Tara Street, bounded by Pearse Street, Westland Row, Fenian Street, Hogan Place, Lower Grand Canal Street; Upper Grand Canal Street, Bath Avenue, Beach Road and a 1

17 2 THE EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF THE DUBLIN DOCKLANDS AREA

18 INTRODUCTION 3 line running eastwards thereafter to incorporate all of the Pembroke East A electoral ward. Map 1.1 shows the area in question. From this one can see that it incorporates the Alexandra Basin area, Port and Docks area, etc. When conducting both the land-use and the questionnaire surveys we included only the inner side of the streets on the boundary of the study area. 1.3 Methodology In undertaking research which contains such a strong comparative component (in terms of change with the situation in 1996) one must ensure that the general methodology adopted is consistent with that used in the earlier year. Consequently, it was decided to adopt the same general approach to the present study as that used in This means that two discrete or distinct methodological approaches were adopted. First, we undertook an intensive land-use survey followed up by a detailed field study of all businesses and other employing entities in the area. Secondly, we undertook a detailed analysis of the 1996 Small Area Population Statistics (SAPS) to provide the socio-demographic profile of the study area and changes therein over the period THE LAND-USE AND BUSINESS SURVEYS The land-use survey Before the business survey could be undertaken we had to develop a population list or inventory of all employers in the study area. Under the term employers we included all businesses and commercial activities as well as all other employing entities such as schools, churches, hospitals, Garda Stations etc. within the study area. To carry out the land-use survey interviewers from the ESRI were assigned a given quota or set of streets. In the first instance, the interviewers recorded details on land-use for all premises in the relevant streets. Provision was made on the land-use survey record sheet to include details on all activities taking place at all levels within the building. Having identified the commercial and other employing entities, the interviewer then proceeded to carry out a personally administered interview with the employers in question. The business survey The business survey contained two pages of questions related to business activity; employment levels and characteristics; employment projections; vacancy levels; and perceptions of the study area. The questionnaire contained seven main sections as follows: 1. Background information on business activity; size etc. 2. A detailed breakdown of employment structure in terms of occupational grade; number of males, females etc. 3. Comparable details on numbers of persons engaged who are also resident in the area. 4. Current vacancy rates and number of vacancies in the area. 5. Perceptions of changes in employment in the area in the short term (next 12 months) and longer term (next 5 years).

19 4 THE EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF THE DUBLIN DOCKLANDS AREA 6. Recruitment practices with regard to residential location in the employment of potential job applicants. 7. Knowledge and perceptions of the work done by the Docklands Development Authority. A copy of the questionnaire used in the survey is attached in Appendix A. In the course of the land-use survey a total of 1,439 businesses and other employing entities were identified by interviewers. Although sustained efforts were made to interview all of these employers, there was, in common with all surveys of this sort, some element of non-response. Table 1.1 provides details on the response outcomes for the employment survey. Table 1.1: Response Outcomes in Employment Survey Outcome No. of Firms Per Cent Successfully completed 1, Of which Completed with interviewer 1, Self-completed Left for Self-completion but Not returned Never available Refused Total 1, From the table one can see that the completion rate was 88 per cent. This is a particularly high response rate by the general standards of surveys of firms. The table clearly shows, however, that a total of 171 firms which should have completed the questionnaire failed to do so. To compensate for this (relatively small) level of non-response we statistically adjusted or grossed the completed survey data to represent the totality of the population of 1,439 employers in the study region. This re-adjustment was implemented using a standard ratio weighting technique based on a 12-fold classification of NACE code for business activity and a 5-fold classification of size of employer (based on numbers employed). This information was available from the land-use survey even in respect of firms which refused to participate in the business survey. In situations where the questionnaire was not successfully completed the interviewer recorded business activity as well as numbers employed. If actual numbers employed were not available an estimate was taken. The size categories used in the reweighting scheme were: 1 person; 2-5 persons; 6-10 persons; persons and 30 or more persons. The resulting 60 cells in the reweighting matrix (12 sectors by 5 size categories) were collapsed to 52 for reweighting purposes due to low numbers of respondents in 8 cells. After the statistical re-adjustment or re-weighting the sample represents the totality of the population as a whole. Fieldwork on the survey took place from mid-november 1999 to mid- January 2000.

20 INTRODUCTION 5 The NACE Business Sector Classification In the course of the survey we recorded the business sector from the respondent on the basis of a ten-fold self-defined business classification. In addition, we recorded details of the business activity undertaken. From the latter we were able to assign an objective business classification from the so-called NACE system for each business in the survey. The NACE system provides a very detailed, objective classification of business activities. For the purposes of reporting in this project these were subsequently aggregated to eleven categories as follows: Manufacturing; Electricity/Gas/Water; Construction; Retail/Wholesale; Hotels & Restaurants; Transport & Communications including telecommunications; Financial Services including all types of financial intermediation and related activities including banking, insurance etc. Business Services including non-financial business services such as consultancy; software development; real estate; renting of machinery or equipment etc.; Public Administration/Defence including Social Welfare offices; Garda Stations etc.; Education & Health Educational establishments including private institutions, training schools etc.; Personal Services including hairdressers, dry cleaners etc. The importance of using the NACE classification is that it provides an objective system for classifying employers and is not affected by the subjective determination of the respondents to a survey. Consequently, in all tables presented from the business survey we have used the NACE classification for both 1996 and SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF THE AREA The 1996 Small Area Population Statistics (SAPS) is used in Chapters 4, 5 and 6 of the report to provide a socio-demographic profile of the study area. Comparative figures relating to 1991 have also been used. Dublin City (County Borough) and County is made up of a total of 322 Electoral Wards. These represent the most spatially disaggregated geographical units for which census data are available. The area under study falls within a total of 7 of these electoral wards, viz. North Dock A; North Dock B; North Dock C; Mansion House A; South Dock; Pembroke West A; and Pembroke West B. In the case of four of these wards the external 1 In the original 1996 survey the self defined business classification was used for reporting purposes. In general, there is very little difference as between the self-defined system and that based on the NACE classification. The comparative 1996 data presented in this report have been re-calculated based on the NACE system.

21 6 THE EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF THE DUBLIN DOCKLANDS AREA boundary of the study area is co-terminus with the Ward boundary. In the case of Pembroke West A, South Dock and Mansion House A, the Ward is transected by the boundary of the Docklands Area. This meant that only part of the three wards in question was included in the study are. A weight was applied to SAPS data for these three Wards to account for their partial inclusion. The weights used were: Pembroke West A (0.5); South Dock (0.5) and Mansion House (0.8). This meant that 50 per cent of persons in both the Pembroke West A and South Dock Wards, as well as 80 per cent of persons in the Mansion House Ward were included within the boundary of the study area. These weights were derived by visual inspection of the relevant 1:20,000 Ward maps of Dublin with subsequent validation by reference to the adult population on the electoral register. This validation involved counting the number of persons listed on the register as residing in those streets from the three wards in questions which fell within the study area. The percentage of electors from each of the wards in question who resided in streets within the study area can then be taken as an indication of the proportion of the Ward population which was resident within the study area. The weights derived in this way from the electoral register validated those based on visual inspection of the Ward-level maps. The information from the SAPS is presented in Chapters 4, 5 and 6 at four levels of geographical aggregation, viz. the southside of the Dublin Docklands Area; the northside of the Docklands Area; the Total Docklands Area; and all of Dublin City & County. This last level is included so as to provide a comparative framework within which to assess general trends within the Docklands Development Area. The 1996 Census of Population SAPS data is the only source of comprehensive data available at a geographically disaggregated level which would allow one to produce a socio-demographic profile of the study area as contained in Chapters 4-6 of the report. It is also the most recently available census. The next census of population will be carried out in April 2001 with results becoming available in mid The importance of presenting the 1996 SAPS data in this report is twofold. First, and most importantly, they provide an objective benchmark for the Docklands Development Authority against which to measure its performance in the future. The Authority was established in Consequently, it is particularly relevant for the Authority to measure change from that year in any assessment of its impact on the development of the area. Second, the comparison of the 1996 situation with that in 1991 and changes over the interviewing period allows one to gauge the underlying change taking place in the area in the years immediately preceding the establishment of the Authority. The only comprehensive source of information on general trends in population size in the area since 1996 is the Register of Electors. Although this provides details on the level of change in the Register population over the period in question it does not provide any information on the profile or characteristics of that population. None the less it does provide some insights into the trends in population change at least among the registered population aged 18 years and over. The relevant figures on number of registered electors are outlined in Table 1.2 for each of the seven Wards in the study area. From this one can see, for example, that the

22 INTRODUCTION 7 registered population grew by 3.1 per cent in 1997, a further 2.6 per cent in 1998 and 2.7 per cent in This means that there has been a growth of 8.6 per cent (representing 1,265 electors) in the study area over the period 1996 to Table 1.2: Number of Electors on the Electoral Register in the Wards Included in the Docklands Area 1990, 1993, North Dock A 1, ,009 North Dock B 2,658 2,632 2,644 2,681 2,743 2,794 North Dock C 1,415 1,353 1,301 1,553 1,639 1,662 Mansion House A 1,962 1,894 1,819 1,842 1,942 2,084 South Dock 1,946 2,015 1,989 2,034 2,149 2,216 Pembroke West A 2,590 2,635 2,592 2,653 2,662 2,715 Pembroke East A 3,222 3,495 3,362 3,400 3,378 3,445 Total 14,811 15,013 14,660 15,116 15,504 15,925 Annual Per Cent Change 1.4 Structure of Report The remainder of the report contains six chapters. In Chapter 2 we present details on the employment structure of the area as recorded in the business survey. This includes details on the number of employers and persons engaged as well as employment projections and vacancy levels. Chapter 3 considers awareness levels among employers of the area and of the Development Authority itself as well as an assessment of the quality of the work which it does. Chapter 4 outlines the socio-demographic structure of the area and considers issues such as age and sex distributions; types of households etc. Chapter 5 focuses on the labour market characteristics of the resident population in the area. Chapter 6 discusses the social class and educational structures of the area. Chapter 7 provides a brief summary of our main findings. Chapters 2 and 3 are based on the survey undertaken in 1999/2000 with comparative figures from the 1996 survey as appropriate. Chapters 4-6 are based on the 1996 Census data. Comparisons are made throughout with the situation as recorded in the 1991 Census.

23 2. EMPLOYMENT STRUCTURE IN THE DOCKLANDS AREA 2.1 Introduction In this chapter we consider a wide range of issues related to the current size and structure of the workforce in the Docklands Development Area. The chapter is divided into six subsequent sections. In Section 2.2 we begin by considering current levels and trends in the number of persons engaged in the Docklands Area. This is compared with the situation in In Section 2.3 we discuss the employment of residents in the area, focusing in particular on the growth in the number of residents engaged over the period Section 2.4 proceeds to consider employment projections for the study area in both the short term (one year) and also the longer term (five years). We also consider in this section whether or not firms have an explicit policy of recruiting from either within or without the Docklands Area. Section 2.5 addresses the issue of current vacancies in the area and the occupational grades in which these occur. Section 2.6 considers whether or not employers express any preferences as to the employment of persons who are resident within the Docklands area. Finally, Section 2.7 provides a brief summary of the main findings. Throughout the chapter we maintain a strong focus on change in the employment structure of the area since the first study in this series was carried out in As discussed in detail in Section 1.3 above, the figures in each table are broken down in term of sectors. This sectoral classification is based on the international standard classification of industrial sectors referred to as NACE. The NACE classification is based on the respondent s detailed description of his/her economic activity along with a full description of the main types of goods or services which the firm produces, delivers or trades in. As discussed in Section 1.3 above, the main advantage of using the NACE classification is that an objective assignment of businesses to sectors can be achieved based on the description of their business activity. This removes any subjective element which could appear in a classification system which is based on self-definition by the business or other respondent in question. The need for the sectoral classification system used to be as objective in nature as possible is increased when one has such a strong focus on sectoral change over time, as we do throughout this report. If one used a sectoral classification which had a substantial subjective component one would not be able to assert that changes in sectoral totals could be attributed to real sectoral change because differences could be ascribed to changes in the way in which respondents 8

24 EMPLOYMENT STRUCTURE IN THE DOCKLANDS AREA 9 decided to classify their business activity at the time of interview. Consequently, by using the internationally accepted NACE classification throughout the business survey for comparison of results in both 1996 and 1999/2000 one can ensure that firms have been assigned to sectors on a wholly harmonised basis. 2.2 Current Levels and Trends in Employment in the Docklands Area We begin by considering the total number of firms and other employing entities in the Docklands Area as set out in Table 2.1. This shows that in the course of the 1999/2000 survey a total of 1,439 firms was identified in the Docklands Area. In terms of sectoral distribution in 1999/2000 the Business Services, Retail/Wholesale, Financial Services, and Manufacturing sectors were the most important with each accounting for between per cent of the total number of firms. Table 2.1: Number of Firms in the Docklands Area Classified by Sector, 1999 and Change 1999/1996 No. of Per Cent No. of Per Cent No. of Per Cent Firms Firms Firms Manufacturing Electricity/Gas/Water Construction Retail/Wholesale Hotels & Restaurants Transport & Comms Financial Services Business Services Public Admin/Defence Education & Health Personal Services Total 1, , One can further see from the table that the figure of 1,439 firms in 1999/2000 represented a 13.2 per cent increase in the number of businesses in the area (an increase of 168 firms). There were substantial increases in the Financial Services and Business Services sectors each growing by over 90 firms and each representing substantial percentage increases of 65 per cent and 50 per cent respectively from the situation in The Manufacturing, Personal Services and Electricity/Gas/Water sectors showed some decline the latter two sectors by only a very small absolute number of firms. As a consequence of these absolute and percentage changes in the number of businesses in each sector one can see from the table that the relative importance of the various sectors among businesses in the Docklands Development Area as a whole has changed somewhat over the period in question. The relative importance of Manufacturing and Retail/Wholesale has fallen slightly (by approximately 4.5 percentage points) over the period in question while the relative importance of Financial and Business services has increased each by approximately 5 percentage points. A comparison of the number of Dockland firms in each sector in 1996 and 1999/2000 is provided in Figure 2.1 below. Figure 2.1: Number of Firms in the Docklands Area Classified by Sector, 1966 & 1999

25 10 THE EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF THE DUBLIN DOCKLANDS AREA Compared Number of firms Table 2.2 provides details on a breakdown of firms or other employing entities in the Docklands Development Area according to type of firm. One can see that, in aggregate terms, a total of 30 per cent of firms are classified as Private Businesses; 52 per cent as Private Limited Companies; 7 per cent as Public companies; 5 per cent as State/Semi-State Bodies and the remaining 5 per cent as Other. Table 2.2: Employers in Dublin Docklands Area Classified by Type of Firm, 1999 Private Business Private Ltd Company Public Company State/Semi State Body Other Total (n) Manufacturing (204) Electricity/Gas/ (9) Water Construction (42) Retail/Wholesale (238) Hotels & (76) Restaurants Transport & (162) Communications Financial Services (231) Business Services (277) Public Admin/ Defence (22) Education & Health (63) Personal Services (115) Total 1999/ (1,439) Total (1,271) The bottom row of Table 2.2 shows the distribution of employers by type of business in It is clear from this that the general structure of enterprise has remained relatively unchanged over the period However, the percentage of firms classified as a Public Company has increased from 4.7 per cent in 1996 to 7.2 per cent in 1999/2000. This

26 EMPLOYMENT STRUCTURE IN THE DOCKLANDS AREA 11 change is largely attributable to the growth in the Financial Services sector a large proportion of which are Public Companies. One can see from the detail of the table that the Financial Services sector stands out as having a substantially higher percentage of employers classified as a public company than any of the other sectors in the table. In Table 2.3 and Figure 2.2 we turn from a consideration of the number of firms to the number of persons engaged in the study area in 1999/2000 and also (for comparative purposes) in From the lefthand segment of the table one can see that the total number of persons currently engaged in the Docklands (end 1999/early 2000) is just under 32,100. A total of 23 per cent of these were engaged in the Business Services sector; 20 per cent in Financial Services; 17 per cent in Transport & Communications. A comparison with the situation in 1996 shows that there has been a growth of 11,300 persons engaged in the study area over the period in question. This represents a percentage change of 54.4 per cent. Table 2.3: Total Number of Persons Employed in the Docklands Area Classified by Industrial Sector, 1999 and Change 1999/ 96 No. of Per Cent No. of Per Cent No. of Per Cent Persons Persons Persons Manufacturing 3, , Electricity/Gas/Water Construction Retail/Wholesale 2, , Hotels & Restaurants Transport & Communications 5, , , Financial Services 6, , , Business Services 7, , , Public Admin/Defence 2, , Education & Health 1, Personal Services 1, , Total 32, , , Highest growth levels (in terms of absolute growth) was experienced in the Business Services sector which experienced an increase of 4,727 persons engaged. The next largest growth sector (in absolute terms) was Financial Services (an increase of 3,639 persons) followed by Transport and Communications (1,514 persons). In terms of percentage growth rate one can see that the highest growth rate was in the Business Services sector (183 per cent). This was followed by the Financial Services and Construction sectors (each growing by the order of per cent) over the period /2000. Some sectors experienced a fall in the numbers of persons engaged. For example, Personal Services experienced a fall of some 374 persons and Manufacturing a fall of some 212 persons.

27 12 THE EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF THE DUBLIN DOCKLANDS AREA Figure 2.2: Total Number of Persons Employed in the Docklands Classified by Industrial Sector, 1996 & 1999 Compared No. of persons employed Manufacturing Elec/Gas/Water Construction Retail/Wholesale Hotels & Restaurants Transport & Comm. Financial Services Business Services Public Admin. Education & Health Personal Services To further assess the order of magnitude of change in number of persons engaged in each sector, Table 2.4 presents information on the mean and median numbers engaged in each sector in 1999/2000 as well as in Both figures give a measure of central tendency or a measure of the size of the typical or average business. The mean number of persons engaged is simply the average number engaged in employing entities in each sector. An alternative to the mean figure is the so-called median. This is simply the mid-point of the distribution when the businesses in question are graded from smallest to largest in terms of the number of persons engaged. It is the value above and below which 50 per cent of businesses lie. The median is not unduly influenced by extreme values in the same way as is the mean value. On this basis the median is often the preferred measure of typical or normal value from the set of observations under consideration. Table 2.4 outlines both mean and median figures. From the table one can see that the mean number of persons engaged in businesses and other employing entities in 1999 stood at just over 22. The employers with the largest average size were in Electricity/Gas/Water and Public Administration/Defence. Smallest average sizes were in Retail/Wholesales and Personal Services on average employing only 9-10 persons. Table 2.4: Mean and Median Numbers Engaged in Employing Entities Classified by Sector, 1999 and Mean Median Mean Median Manufacturing Electricity/Gas/Water Construction

28 EMPLOYMENT STRUCTURE IN THE DOCKLANDS AREA 13 Retail/Wholesale Hotels & Restaurants Transport & Communications Financial Services Business Services Public Admin/Defence Education & Health Personal Services Total A comparison with the mean figure in 1996 shows that the average number of persons engaged rose by just under 6 persons from 16.4 persons in 1996 to 22.1 persons by 1999/2000. Of significance is the fact that, in general, with the exception of Personal Services and Public Administration/Defence the average numbers engaged grew in all sectors over the period in question. The sectors which experienced the largest average increase in number of persons engaged include Business Services; Financial Services; Transport & Communications; Construction and Electricity/Water/Gas. If one turns to consider the median figures set out in the table one can also see that there is an increase in the median number of persons engaged by 6.0 in 1996 to 7.0 in 1999/2000. Again the increase is, in general, across all sectors the exception being Public Administration/Defence and Education and Health. These figures suggest that there has been an unambiguous increase in the typical or average size of employers in the Docklands Area over the period in question. It would appear that this growth has, in general, been experienced across all sectors. Overall, the rising tide of the economic expansion in the late 1990s would appear to have positively impacted on all sectors. Because this growth has taken place across the board we find that employment growth has been experienced in both previously existing and newly created businesses. Hence the growth in employment substantially outstrips the growth in the number of employers over the period in question. 2.3 Number of Docklands Residents Engaged in the Area Of particular relevance to the Docklands Development Authority is the number of residents who are working in the area. Table 2.5 presents information for both 1999/2000 and also 1996 on the number of persons who are resident in the Docklands Area and who also work in the area. One can see from the table that a total of just under 2,500 residents were engaged in the area in 1999/2000. This represents a growth of 900 persons over the situation in This gives an aggregate growth rate of 56.5 per cent two percentage points ahead of overall growth in employment as a whole in the area. From the figures in Table 2.5 one can see that sectors with the highest growth in the number of residents engaged included Education & Health (almost 375 per cent approximately 290 persons) and Construction (265 per cent approximately 110 persons). The growth rate in the former is largely attributable to the expansion of a number of community education/resource centres one of which in particular pursues a proactive policy of employing substantial numbers of local residents.

29 Table 2.5: Number of Residents Engaged in Docklands Area Classified by Sector 1999 and 1996 Docklands Residents Percent Change 1999/96 Number Change 1999/96 Manufacturing Electricity/Gas/Water Construction Retail/Wholesale Hotels & Restaurants Transport & Communications Financial Services Business Services Public Admin/Defence Education & Health Personal Services Total 2,491 1, Table 2.6 below outlines the percentage of persons engaged in the area in each sector who are also residents of the area. From this one can see that the current figure of 2,500 residents who are engaged in the area represents 7.8 per cent of all persons engaged. This figure is highest in the Education & Health sector (29.1 per cent) followed by the Retail/Wholesale sector (21.7 per cent). Other sectors which have a high percentage of their employment totals made up by residents include Personal Services (16.6 per cent); Construction (16.6 per cent); Retail/Wholesale (13.5 per cent and Manufacturing (13.1 per cent). It is clear from the table that the sectors with the lowest level of local employment are Financial Services (2.2 per cent) and Business Services (3.5 per cent). Comparable figures are also provided in the right hand segment of the table in respect of the situation identified in the 1996 survey. From these figures we see that a total of 7.7 per cent of all persons engaged in the area in that year were residents. The highest levels in 1996 were in the Hotel & Restaurant sector (19.6 per cent) followed by Personal Services (12.8 per cent) and Manufacturing (13.1 per cent). It is clear from the comparison of the 1996 and 1999 figures that local residents became relatively more important for the Construction sector, Retail/Wholesale, Education & Health and Personal Services over the period 1996 to 1999/2000. There were falls in the percentage of the workforce which was resident in the area in the Business Services and Financial Services Sectors over this period. 14

30 EMPLOYMENT STRUCTURE IN THE DOCKLANDS AREA 15 Figure 2.3: Total Number of Residents Employed in the Docklands Area Classified by Industrial Sector, 1996 and 1999 Compared No. of residents employed Manufacturing Elec/Gas/Water Construction Retail/Wholesale Hotels & Restaurants Transport & Comm. Financial Services Business Services Public Admin. Education & Health Personal Services Table 2.6: Total Number of Residents Engaged in Docklands Area Classified by Sector 1999 and 1996 Sector Total Persons Engaged Residents Per Engaged Cent Total Persons Engaged Residents Engaged Per Cent Manufacturing 3, , Electricity/Gas/Water Construction Retail/Wholesale 2, , Hotels & Restaurants Transport & Communications 5, , Financial Services 6, , Business Services 7, , Public Admin/Defence 2, , Education & Health 1, Personal Services 1, , Total 32,089 2, ,787 1,

31 Table 2.7: Percentage of (a) Docklands Residents Engaged in the Study Area and (b) All Persons Engaged in the Study Area Classified by Sector and Employment Status Docklands Residents Engaged (i) Employer/ Owner 16 (ii) Employee (i) Employer/ Owner All Persons Engaged (ii) Employee Total Total Manufacturing Electricity/Gas/Water Construction Retail/Wholesale Hotels & Restaurants Transport & Communications Financial Services Business Services Public Admin/Defence Education & Health Personal Services Total Table 2.7 provides a breakdown of both Docklands residents as well as all persons engaged according to sector and employment status. Consider first the figures relating to all persons engaged. From the bottom row of the table one can see that 8.2 per cent of all persons engaged in the Docklands Area as a whole are classified as employers/owners. The rates are highest in Retail/Wholesale (18.3 per cent); Personal Services (17.9 per cent); Hotels & Restaurants (14.9 per cent) and Manufacturing (14.7 per cent). If we compare this breakdown for all persons engaged with the situation relating to the Docklands residents who are also engaged in the area, one can see from the bottom row of the table that only 7.0 per cent of residents engaged in the area are classified as Employers/Owners this is 1.2 percentage points below the aggregate figure for all persons as a whole. Only in Hotels & Restaurants and Business Services does the percentage of residents who are classified as employers/owners exceed the percentage among all persons engaged as a whole. Clearly, therefore, the figures in Table 2.7 suggest that residents who are engaged in the area have a lower chance of being classified as an employer/owner than do the generality of all workers as a whole. The issue of grade and a comparison of grade between all persons engaged and Docklands residents is maintained in Table 2.8 and illustrated in Figure 2.4 below. The left-hand segment of this table and the left-hand bars of Figure 2.4 relate to all persons engaged. From this one can see that a total of 34 per cent of all persons engaged are in the Managerial/Professional grade; 30 per cent are classified as Clerical; 7 per cent as Routine Non-Manual; 24 per cent as Skilled & Semi-skilled Manual and 5 per cent as Unskilled Manual. If one compares these figures with those relating to Docklands residents one can see that a much lower percentage of residents are classified in the Managerial/ Professional and Clerical categories with a higher percentage in the manual occupations. The over-representation in the Unskilled Manual category is particularly pronounced. There is an over-concentration in the order of 271 per cent in the Unskilled Manual category among Docklands residents as compared to all persons as a whole engaged in the area. In other words,